Stefano Cucchi was arrested by the Carabinieri on 15 October.
He spent the night in the police station and the following day, with a fast-track trial, the judge ordered that he stay in prison while waiting for the next hearing.

While the parents are still waiting to see their son, a week ago, the family receive from the Carabinieri, the notification of the order with which the prosecuting magistrate authorises the autopsy on Stefano’s body. And that’s how his parents and his sister get to know about Stefano’s death. Another who died of prison.

Interviewed Ilaria and Giovanni Cucchi, who are the sister and the father of Stefano.

The arrest and the fast-track trial

llaria Cucchi: "Stefano Cucchi was a 31 year old man, a really normal 31 year old guy who on the night of 15/16 October was arrested by the Carabinieri, because he was found to be in possession of a modest amount of marijuana. We saw him leaving the house accompanied by the Carabinieri, who before that, among other things, had searched his room and having found nothing, they took him to their barracks in optimum health, with not one mark on his face and with no complaint about any type of pain. We saw him again dead on 22 October at the morgue. At the moment that we saw him again, my brother had his face completely swollen and full of marks, we couldn’t see his body.” Blog: “Can we retrace the events of those days? The night between 15 and 16 October, he was stopped by the Carabinieri and taken to their barracks: from there, the Carabinieri brought him here to the house to check if …”

llaria Cucchi: to search his room, yes, where obviously nothing was found.”

Blog: “Basically he spent the night in the barracks and then came …”

llaria Cucchi: Exactly. The following morning, about midday there was the fast-track trial, when the judge decided that this guy had to spend the time until 13 November, the date set for the next hearing, in prison and he was put down for “Regina Coeli”.

llaria Cucchi: After that moment we didn’t see him again. I repeat: the morning of the fast-track trial my brother already had signs of swelling from being beaten. But when he left here he was in top condition. Blog: What did the Carabinieri say to you when he came home here?

llaria Cucchi: They told us to stay calm, because for so little he would surely be back home the following day under house arrest.” Blog: Then when they gave you the information, there was a telephone call saying ‘Stefano’s not well’?”

llaria Cucchi: “Saturday evening. The next bit of news we got on Saturday evening. Around 9pm the Carabinieri arrived to tell us that Stefano had been taken urgently to the hospital ‘Sandro Pertini’, obviously my parents went there immediately and there they were denied any type of information. When my mother naively asked to be able to see the lad and to be told what was wrong with him, she was told: “absolutely no. This is a prison. Come back on Monday in visiting hours and talk to the doctors.” My parents returned on Monday morning, at the time they had been told. They were allowed to enter and the details of their identification documents were noted and they were left to wait. After a bit of time, someone responsible came out, and told them that she couldn’t let them talk to the doctors as a certain authorisation had not arrived from the prison. “Anyway, come back, because this authorisation has to arrive and don’t worry because the lad is serene.” When my mother asked “at least tell me the reason why my son is in hospital.” ” The lad is serene.” was the response given to them. Stefano is dead

Obviously, the following day, my parents went back, yes. It was Tuesday morning when they went back to the hospital, to the prison department o f the ‘Sandro Pertini’ and this time, they were actually not allowed to enter. At the external speaker system, they were told that they couldn’t enter, because there was no authorisation. Finally they were told that it was up to them to ask for an authorisation from ‘Piazzale Gloria’, if they want to see the lad. My father asked for this authorisation and he got it on 25 October, no – sorry, on 22 October, Thursday. On 22 October at dawn, my brother died and my father didn’t get the chance to see him. We know about my brother’s death from the Carabinieri, who came to our house about 12:30. Before that I’d just say that it seems that my brother died at dawn. They came about 12:30 to tell my mother the order with which the Public prosecutor authorised the autopsy following the death of Cucchi Stefano. This is how my mother found out about the death of her son.”